Turbine-engine.



PATBNTBD"APR- 14, 1903.

J. A. GROSHON.

TUBBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2l. 1902.

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No. 725,439. PATLNTLD AI RI4,1903. J. A. GRosIIoN.

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1902.A

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No. 725,439. PATENTBD APR. 14, 1903. J. A. GRosHoN. TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- No. 725,439. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

J. A. GROSHON. l

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1902.

X0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JOHN A; cRosHoN,' orpNEw YoRK,.N. Y.

TU RBINE-v-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lratent No.`725`,439, dated April14, 1903.

"Application liled July 21,1902.

The invention relates toimprovements in` turbine-engines; audit consistsin the. novel features, arrangement, `and combinationsof partshereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of the inventionis to produce aI comparatively inexpensiveformY of turbine-` engine in which the power may be generated with aneconomical use of steam;

In carrying myinvention into effect I provide an exterior casing throughwhich the shaft to be driven passes, and upon thisshaft I provide aseries of wheels against which the steam acts on its passage from thesource ofsupply to the exhaust, these Wheels being alternately arrangedand provided with blades arranged at proper anglesA for the action ofthe steam, each alternate wheel being fast u pon the said shaft torotate therewith and the other wheels being free'on said shaft andarranged to rotate oppositely to thedirection of motion of the saidshaft, but to aid in eecting the rotation of said shaft in the properdirection. The exterior casing is rigid and preferably subdivided into aseries .of compartments or'steam-chambers by means ofpartitionscontaining ports for 'the' passage ofthe steam and each compartment orchamber containing two of the aforesaid wheels, one keyed upon the shaftand the other free there'- of to rotate in a reverse direction theretoand geared to the wheel which is fast upon the shaft.

The in vention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinaftery presented, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings,in Which'- k Figure lis a central vertical longitudinal section througha turbine-engine constructed in accordance with and embodying theinven-y tion. Fig.r 2 isa central horizontal longitudinal section ofsame. Fig. 3 is an end view,

partly broken away and partly in section, of same, the sectional portionof Fig. 3 being on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.\4 is adeserti-'Nol 116,309. (No man.)

tached view, partly broken away, of vone of the dividing-partitions ofthe en gine-casing. Fig. 5 is a detached central vertical section on thedotted line 5 'of Fig. 7 of one of the wheels adapted for reverserotation on the engineshaft, this being the right-hand wheel looking atFig. 1. Fig. 6 isa sectional View of same, taken on the semicirculardotted line 6 6 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 7 is a. face View of same.

In the drawings, 20k denotes asuitable supporting frame or base, uponwhich the extei rior casing of the engine-ismounted, said exteriorcasingbeing rigid and preferably comprising the kheads 2122 andintermediate cylindrical sections 23 24, said sections 23 24 beingsecured' together by bolts 25 and said section 23 havingat itsl outerend the head 21, secured to itfby bolts 26, while the outer of the-section 23 ,and the head 2l is secured,

by means of the aforesaid bolts 26, the partition 32, containing theseriesy of, ports .33, leading from the supply-.chamber 34 in the head2l tothe aforesaid chamber 30 Within the casing 23. The head 2.1,containing the chamberr34, isv provided with a suitable inlet .35, Fig.2, for the steam, and the chamber within the head 22 is provided withthe suitable exhaust-passage `36.-

At the 'outer ends of the heads 2l 22 are provided suitable glands 37for the shaft 38 to be driven, and the said shaft 38 has mounted upon itwithin the chambers 30 31 the wheels 39 40 and 4l 42, respectively, theI wheels 39 41 beingkeyed rupon' the shaft 38 to rotate therewith andthe Wheels 4042 being mounted upon sleeves, as hereinafter described,encompassing and free of said-shaf t The wheels 39 and 41 each have ahub 43 keyed upon the shaft 38, a vertical flanged portion 44, to whichis secured by screws a circular rack or gear-wheel 45, and twohorizontal concentric ring portions 46, between which are the V-shapedblades 47, all in series, extending entirely around the said wheels 4l,respectively, in line with the ports 33 and 29 in the partitions 32 and28, the purpose being that the steam passing through the said ports 29shall strike the blades 47 of the said wheels 39 and 41 and cause thelatter to rotate and drive the shaft 38, the said steam striking theright-hand sectionv of the blades 47 at an angle where said sectionsjoin the left-hand sections of said blades, the latter serving to directthe steam to its place of contact against the right-hand sections ofsaid blades, the latter after said contact directing the steam in areverse direction to the wheels 40 42, whose blades 48 correspondexactly with the blades of the wheels 39 and 4l, but are reverselyarranged thereto, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The wheels 40 42 have their blades 48 between the concentric horizontalring portions 49 50 and are 'formed with the iange or plate section 51,to which is secured by screws the circular rack or gear-wheel 53,corresponding exactly with the racks or gear-wheels 45, secured to thewheels 39 and 41. The wheels 40 42 have their hubs 54 loosely mountedupon sleeves 55, which are upon rbut do not turn with the shaft 38, theright-hand end of the sleeve 55 for the wheel 40 (looking at Fig. 1)being pinned to the hub 56 of the partition 28 and the outer end of thesleeve 55 for the wheel 42 being pinned to the hub 57, extend-1 inginwardly from the head 22`and encompassing the shaft 38. The inner endsof the sleeves 55 are intermediate the Harige-plate portions 44 and 51of the wheels 39 40 and 41 42, as shown in Fig. l, and upon the saidinner ends of said sleeves 55 are mounted upon pins the rotatablegear-wheels or pinions 58, which engage the racks or gears 45 and 53 ofsaid wheels 39 40 and 41 42, as shown in Fig. 1, the said pinions 58,while capable. of rotating, heilig otherwise stationary with the sleeves55, which cannot rotate with or upon the shaft 38. The hubs 54 of thewheels 40 42 are capable of rotationupon the sleeves 55 withoutinterfering with the rotation of thc wheels 39 41 with the shaft 38, itbeing the purpose that the wheels 40 and 42 shall rotate in a directionreversely to the direc` tion of motion ofthe wheels 39 41 and shaft 38.

During the operation of -the engine the steam may have a tendency topress the wheels 40 42 toward the right, (looking at Fig. 1,) and henceI interpose between the end of the hub 54 of the wheel 40 and theadjoining end of the hub 56 of the partition 28 and between the end ofthe hub 54 of the wheel 42 and the adjacent end of the hub 57antifriction devices comprising in each instance the loose sleeves 5960, inclosing within a suitable chamber between their facing edges theseries of balls 61,`so that in the event of undue friction being createdthe sleeves 59 may turn with the wheels 40 42 and against the balls 61,thereby reducing the friction which otherwise might exist.

The shaft 38 is hollow and communicates by suitable ports, as shown inFig. 1, with the inner surfaces of the sleeves 55 and 56 and the sleeveor hub portion of the head 21, thereby to lubricate the said shaft andthe parts mounted upon or connect-ed with it.

In the drawings I illustrate an engine employing two pairsof the wheels39 40 and 41 42, but do not limit the invention to the use of two pairsof the said wheels, since one pair of the` wheels would embody a portionof the invention, and more than two pairs of the wheels may be employed,if desired, the addition of eXtra pairs of wheels simply necessitatingthe addition of additional partitions and sections t0 the engine-easing-I prefer that each pair of wheels used in the engine may present aboutdouble the effective area of the preceding pair of wheels in series andthat the cham ber 31 shall be about double the cubic area of Vthechamber 30. In the present instance I provide six ports 33 in thepartition 32, while in the partition 28 I provide twelve ports 29 fordirecting the steam to the wheels 41 42.

In the operation of the engine the steam will be admitted through thepassage 35 to the chamber 34, formed by the head 21, and will thencepass through the ports 33 against the inclined blades of the wheel 39,causing the latter to rotate and drive the shaft 38. Upon the steamstriking the right-hand portion of the blades of the wheel 39. to effectthe rotation of said wheel the steam will by IDO means of said blad esbe deiiected and directed i against the right-hand portion of theinclined blades of the wheel'40, with the result that since the bladesof the wheel 40 are reversely arranged to the blades of the wheel 39 thewheel 40 will be compelled to rotate in adirection reversely to thedirection of motion of the wheel 39and shaft 38. After the steam strikesand acts upon the blades of the wheel 40 it will by saidblades bedeiiected into the general steam-chamber 30, whence it will pass throughthe series of ports 29 inthe partition. 28 and strike the right-handportions ol' the blades 47 of the wheel 41, thereby causing said wheelto rotate and communicate its motion to the shaft 38, and aftercontacting with the right-hand portion of the blades of the wheel 41 thesteam will by said blades be delected and directed against theright-hand portion of the reversely-arranged blades of the wheel 42 andcause said wheel to rotate in a direction reversely to the direction ofmotion of the wheel 41 and shaft 38, and thereupon the steam leaving theblades of the wheel 42 will pass into the general exhaustchamber31,formed in the section 24 of the engine-casing and in the cap 22 atthe end ot' said casing. During the rotation of the wheels IIO izo

39 and 41` the blad'es thereof will be carried by the series of `ports33 29, respectively, and all of saidl blades will be supplied with thesteam from said ports, said ports constituting, in eect, nozzles fordirecting the steam against the blades of said wheels. Theoppositely-rotating Wheels 40 42 are employed to `aid the wheels 39 41in driving the shaft 38, and this feature of the operation will now bedescribed. The irst Wheel 39 will while rotating set in motion throughits gear 45 the; pinion-wheels 58, disposed intermediate the"l `wheels39 40, and the rotation of these pinionwheels (said Wheels being in meshwith the rack or gear-wheel 53 of the wheel 40) willv have the effect ofrotating in lareverse direction the said Wheel 40, While at theSametime, the steam which strikes the Wheel 40 has the;

effect of rotating said wheel in its direction of motion reversely tothat of the-wheel 39. The rotation of-the wheel 4Q is thuseffected, rst,by the rotation of the wheel 39 through the intermediate gearing, and,second,by the direct contact of the steamwith 4the `blades of said wheel40, the steam being depended uponfto rotate the Wheel 40 and the wheel40 being dependeduponto aid, through the intermediate gearing, indriving the wheel 39, so that the powerof the wh`eelv40, though saidwheel is traveling reversely to the direction of motion of the wheely39, may be utilized proper movement, the steam being primarily dependedupon Ato drive the wheels 39 40 inopposite directions and the wheel 39through the pinions 58 aiding the wheels 40 in their movement, while the-wheels 40 through the intermediate Y gearing communicate their power tothe Wheels 39 for drivingfthe same.4v

The wheels 41 y42- are gearedtogether-in the same manner as the wheels39 and 40 are geared together, and they operate in the same manner asthe wheels `39 40, the wheelI 41-,aiding in the rotation of thevwheels42 and:

ythe power of the wheel 42 being transmitted through the intermediategearing to the wheel;

4l for driving'the same. The purpose of'increasing the area of thesecond pair of wheels 41 42 `is to enable the steam, although havingalready acted on the first pair of lwheels 39 40, to have the sameeffective force when ap` plied to the wheels 41 42 as it had whenappliedto the wheels 39 40. For illustration, if the steam is aty one hundred`and 'fifty pounds pressure to the. square inchfwhen applied to thewheels 39 40 it willprobably .have a pressure of seventy-fivepounds tothe square inch when striking the wheels 4l 42, and hence witlrthe`decrease of pres-j sure in steam due to itscontinued use I inf creasethe area of the wheels Asucceedingtthe rst pair of wheels in accordancewith such decrease of pressure in the steam, whereby I; am enabled toeffectively use the steam `un-` til its force has become exhausted.Itwill be observed that the chamber 31 is ofl greater cubic area than.the chamber 30, 'the steam passing from this chamber 30 to the wheelsof greater area 41 42. If additional chambers and additional wheels wereadded to the end of the engine, the chambers and wheels should haveanvincreasing area in series, so that after each useof the steam itwould pass into a chamber of larger area than before and engage wheelsof larger area than the preceding Wheels.

I regardthe special construction of wheels 39 40 41 42,- having theapproximately V- shaped blades, as ofgreat importance `owing to theirefficiency in use; but I do not limit my invention in every respect tothe special construction of the said wheels shown, since within thescope of my inventionthe formand construction of said wheels may bevaried;

What I claim as my invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-Y y 1. The turbine-engine comprising the eXterior inclosing casinghaving thesupply and exhaust, and the shaft extending through saidcasing,combined with thepairofwheelson said shaft withinV said casingand having the re-` versely-arranged blades,gearingsubstantially asdescribed disposed within said casing inter mediate and connecting saidWheels so that the motion of one wheel mayv becommunicated to the otherwheel, and means for directing the steam against theblades -of onewheel, whence it will passito the` blades of the other wheel, one ofsaidwhee'ls being fast on said shaftl to rotate therewith and drive thesame,

and the otherof v-said wheelsA being looseon 2.* The turbine-enginecomprisingthe erite-` rior4 inclosing casing, the shaft, and supply andexhaust for steam, combined withY the pair of wheels on said shaftand-having-the reversely-arranged I approximately V #shaped blades,gearing connecting saidy wheels so that lthemotion of onefwheel' may becommunicated to the other wheel, and means for directing the steamagainst theblades-of lone.

wheel,lwhence it willpass to the blades of theother wheel, one oflsaidwheels being fast -on'vsaid vshaft to lrotate therewith, and theother 4of said wheelsbeing loose on said shaft l to rotate reverselytheretogfsubstantially las set forth. Y A l i 3. The turbine-enginecomprising the extei rior inclosing casing, the shaft, and supplyandexhaust for steam, combined `with the pair of-whe`els onfsaid shaftand havinglre-A on said wheels,lthe pinion-wheelsengaging ISOversely-arranged blades, the circulanr racks recting the steam againstthe blades of one wheel, whence it will pass to the blades of the otherwheel, one of said wheels being fast on said shaft to rotate therewith,and the other of said wheels being loose on said shaft t0 rotatereversely thereto; substantially as set forth.

4E. The turbine-engine comprising the exterior inclosing casing, theshaft, and supply and exhaust for steam, combined with the pair ofwheels on said shaft and having reversely-arranged blades, the circularracks on the facing sides of said wheels, the pinionwheels confinedbetween said wheels and in mesh with said racks for transmitting themotion of one wheel to the other wheel, a stationary sleeve on saidshaft supporting said pinion-wheels, and means for directing the steamagainst the blades of one wheel, whence it will pass to the blades ofthe other wheel, one of said wheels being fast on said shaft to rotatetherewith, and the other of said wheels being loose on said shaft torotate reversely thereto; substantially as set forth.

5. The turbine-engine comprising` the exterior inclosing casing,theshaft, and supply and exhaust for steam, combined with the pair ofwheels on said shaft and having the hub, flange or plate portion,concentric rings and series of blades between said rings, the blades ofone wheel being arranged reversely to the blades of the other wheel, thecircular racks on the said flange or plate portions of said wheels, thepinion-wheels engaging said racks and confined between said wheels fortransmitting the motion of one wheel to the other wheel, a stationarysleeve on said shaft supporting said pinion-wheels, and means fordirecting the steam against the blades of one wheel, whence it will passto the blades of the other wheel, one of said wheels being fast on saidshaft to rotate therewith, and the other of said wheels being loose onsaid shaft to rotate reversely thereto; substantially as set forth.

(l. The turbine-engine comprising the exteriorinclosing casing,theshaft, and supply and exhaust for steam, combined with the pair ofwheels on said shaft and having the hub, flange or plate portion,concentric rings and series of approximately V-shaped blades betweensaid rings, the blades of one wheel being arranged reversely to theblades of the other wheel, the circular racks on the said flange orplate portions of said wheels, the pinion-wheels engaging said racks andconfined between said wheels for transmitting the motion of one wheel tothe other wheel, a stationary sleeve on said shaft supporting saidpinion-wheels, and means for directing the steam against the blades ofone wheel, whence it will pass to the blades of the other wheel, one ofsaid wheels being fast on said shaft to rotate therewith, and the otherof said wheels being loose on said shaft to rotate reversely thereto;substantiall57 as set forth.

7. The turbine-engine comprising the exterior inclosing casing havingthe supply for steam at one end and the exhaust at the other end, andthe shaft extending through said casing, combined with the pair ofwheels on said shaft within said casing and having the reverselyarrangedblades, gearing within said casing independent of said shaft anddirectly connectingsaid wheels so that the motion of one wheel may becommunicated to the other wheel, and means for directing the steamagainst the blades of one wheel, whence it will pass to the blades ofthe other wheel, one of said wheels being fast on said shaft to rotatetherewith and drive the same, and the other of said wheels being looseon said shaft to rotate reversely thereto and communicate its motionthrough said gearing to the said wheel fast on said shaft; substantiallyas set forth.

8. The engine comprising the exterior rigid casing, the shaft, andsupply and exhaust for steam, combined with a pair ofdriving-wheels onsaid shaft within said casing and having reversely-arrangedapproximately V-shaped blades, one of said wheels being fast on saidshaft to rotate therewith and. the other of said wheels being loose onsaid shaft to rotate reversely thereto, means for supplying the steam tothe blades of one of said wheels whence it will pass to and act upon theblades of the other wheel, and means for communicating power from thewheel rotating with the shaft to the wheel rotating in an oppositedirection and from said oppositely rotating wheel to the Wheel fast onsaid shaft; substantially as set forth.

9. The turbine-engine comprising the exterior inclosing casing having atone end the supply-chamber for steam and supply-inlet thereto, and atthe other end the exhaustchamber and outlet therefrom, the partition 32separating said supply-chamber from the general chamber of the engineand having the series of circularly-arran ged ports 33 leading from saidsupply-chamber to said general chamber, and the shaft extending throughsaid casing, combined with the pair of wheels on said shaft in saidgeneral chamber close to said partition and having thereversely-arranged blades in line with said Yports to receive the steamtherefrom, gearing within'said casing independent of said shaft anddirectly connecting said wheels so that the motion of one wheel may becommunicated to the other wheel, one of said wheels being fast on saidshaft to rotate therewith and drive the same, and the other of saidwheels being loose on said shaft to rotate reversely thereto andcommunicate its motion through said gearing to the said wheel fast onsaid shaft; substantially7 as set forth.

l0. The engine comprising the exterior rigid casing, the shaft, andsupply and exhaust for steam, combined with the series of driving-wheelson said shaft within said casing and having the reversely-arranged ap-IOO proximately V-shaped blades, the alternate wheels being free on saidshaft to rotate oppositely thereto, and the other wheels being fast onsaid shaft, and all of said wheels being exposed to the action of thesteam on its passage from the supply to the exhaust, and means forcommunicating 'power from the wheels rotating with the shaft to thewheels rotating in an opposite direction and from saidoppositely-rota'ting Wheels to the wheels fast on said shaft;substantially as set forth.

11. The engine comprising the exterior casing, the shaft, the supply andexhaust for steam, and the partitions subdividing the interior of saidcasing into communicating chambers of increasing cubic area in seriestoward the exhaust, combined with the Wheels in pairs on said shaft insaid chambers and having the reversely-arranged blades to be acted on bythe steam on its passage to the exhaust for driving said shaft, oneWheel of each pair being fast on said shaft to rotate therewith and theother wheel being free on said shaft to rotate reversely thereto, andmeans for communicating power from the Wheels rotating with the shaft tothe wheels rotating in an opposite direction and from saidoppositely-rotating Wheels to the Wheels fast ou said shaft, said wheelsincreasing in area toward said exhaust; substantially as set forth; Y

12. The engine comprising the exterior casing, the shaft, the supply andexhaust for steam, and the partitions subdividing the interior of saidcasing into communicating chambers of increasing cubic area in seriestoward the exhaust, combined .with the wheels in pairs on said shaft insaid chambers and having the reversely-arranged approximately V-shapedblades to be acted on by the steam on its passage to the exhaustfordriving said shaft, one wheel of each pair being fast on said shaft torotate therewith and the other wheel being free on said shaft to rotatereversely thereto, and means for communicating power from the wheelsrotating with the shaft to the Wheels rotating in an opposite directionand from said oppositelyrotating wheels to the Wheels fast on saidshaft, said wheels increasing in area toward said exhaust; substantiallyas set forth.

13. The engine comprising the exterior casing, the shaft, the supply andexhaust for steam, and the partitions subdividing the interior of saidcasing into communicating chambers of increasing -cubic area in seriestoward saidexhanst,said partitions havingthe series of ports extendingdirectly through them, combined with the wheels in pairs on said shaftin said chambers and having the reversely-arranged blades to be acted onby the steam on its passage to the exhaust for driving said shaft,onewheel of each pair being fast on said shaft to rotate therewith and theother wheel being free onsaid shaft to rotate reversely thereto, andmeans for communicating power from the Wheels rotating with the shaft tothe wheels rotating in an opposite direction and from saidoppositely-rotating wheels to the Wheels fast on said shaft, said wheelsincreasing in area toward said exhaust, and said blades and said portsbeing in line with each other so that the said ports may direct thesteam against a series of said blades; substantially as set forth.

14. The engine comprising the casing, the shaft, the supply and exhaustfor steam, and the partitions subdividing the interior of said casinginto communicating chambers of increasing cubic area in series towardthe exhaust, combined withy the driving-Wheels in pairs on said shaft insaid chambers and having the reversely-arranged blades to be acted on bythe steamon its passage tothe exhaust, one wheel of each pair being faston said shaft and the other Wheel being free on said shaft to rotatereversely thereto, and means for communicating the power of thereversely-rotating wheels to the said shaft, said Wheels increasing inarea toward said exhaust; substantially as set forth.

15. The engine comprising the casing, theshaft, the supply and exhaustfor steam, and

the partitions subdividing the interior of said casing intocommunicating chambers of increasing cubic area in series toward theexhaust, said partitions having the series of ports extending directlythrough them, combined with the driving-Wheels in-pairs on saidy shaft.in said chambers and having the reversely-arranged blades to be actedon by the steam on its passage to the exhaust, one wheel of each pairbeing fast on said shaft and the other wheel being free on said shaft torotate reversely thereto, and means for communicating the power of thereversely-rotating wheels to the said shaft, said Wheels increasing inarea toward said exhaust, and the said ports in said partitions and saidblades being in line with each other so that thesaid ports may directthe steam against a series of said blades; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New .York and State of New York,this 19th day of July, A. D. 1902.

JOHN A. GROSHON.

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